Shirvington Shiraz Mclaren Vale 2008

Shirvington - Fleurieu
- Australia
- Mclaren Vale

Professional Wine Reviews for Shirvington Shiraz Mclaren Vale 2008

Rated 92 by Robert Parker

Shirvington's 2008 Shiraz gives a deep garnet-purple color and intense notes of warm black cherries and black raspberries over anise, chocolate box, allspice and vanilla pod. Very full-bodied and concentrated with 16% declared alcohol, this is a big mouthful yet well balanced with crisp acidity and medium-firm fine tannins, finishing long. Approachable now, it should blossom with another couple of years in bottle and drink through 2020+.

Varietal: Syrah

The Shiraz or Syrah grape varietal has seen a huge surge in popularity over the past few decades, partly due to the fact that more and more wineries around the world are beginning to plant and process this robust and flavorful grape for international audiences. This varietal has plenty going for it, and has the special ability of being able to clearly express positive features of its terroir in the bottle, alongside its characteristic flavors of dark berries, pepper and other spices. Shiraz/Syrah is also notably a highly versatile grape, and has been successfully used in several type of still red wine, as well as excellent sparkling and fortified wines. It is also regularly used as a blending grape, where it is prized for its ability to add a bold and strong, spicy punch to mellow, blended wines.

Region: Fleurieu

On the Fleurieu Peninsula of southern Australia, there are now dozens of wineries making the most of the excellent unique features the region provides, and such wineries are consistently impressing the wine world with their excellent produce. Most notably, Fleurieu benefits from a Mediterranean style climate, offering great warmth and exposure to sunshine throughout the days, tempered by brisk oceanic breezes and a wide range of micro-climates, which allow vintners to produce a wide range of wine styles. As with many parts of southern Australia, the Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon grape varietals make up for most of the winery's produce, although recent years have seen much experimentation with a wide range of grapes, making Fleurieu one of the most diverse and exciting wine regions in Australia.

Country: Australia

Whilst every Australian state has some level of wine production, it is in South Australia and on the island of Tasmania where the finest wines are made to the highest quantities. Here, the scorching Australian sun is a little tamer, and the heat is tempered by brisk oceanic winds, making the climate of these regions ideal for vineyard cultivation. The Tamar Valley on Tasmania has been making waves internationally in recent years, as both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grape varietals are thriving there and resulting in hugely flavorful wines, which are at once distinctly Australian, yet remain unique and interesting enough to surprise and impress. Elsewhere in the country, the Syrah grape (known locally as Shiraz) reigns supreme, as the long, hot summers allow these grapes to ripen fully and lend their intensely fruit-forward character to the ruby red Australian wines, which have such international appeal.